


Can't Be Distant

by GhostofMakaris (HoennDexHolderOfTheNight)



Category: TOME: Terrain of Magical Expertise
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-03
Updated: 2014-12-30
Packaged: 2018-03-04 07:05:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2956871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HoennDexHolderOfTheNight/pseuds/GhostofMakaris
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Michael is haunted. He's been haunted for weeks. The Forbidden Power won't even leave him alone outside of the game. And on top of that his mom has brought in a girl to his world. He doesn't need to worry about a weird looking girl with the same name as his crush on TOME. Stephanie is nothing like Flamegirl, except for the fact that she's as stubborn, her hair looks a lot like Flamegirl's, she sounds the same, and a couple other features.</p><p>And somehow he starts to care for her. And somehow she starts to care for him. And somehow they both don't notice that one is the other.</p><p>But Stephanie is determined to stay into his real life and not just be a person on the other side of the screen. And Michael wants the same.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Can't Be Distant

Michael never really had many friends. He spent most of his time playing TOME, the game he had bought last year. His parents didn't understand the point of the game, but allowed their son to play it, since they thought he had several friends. They didn't know Stephanie, Colin, Nate, and Chris were people he had never met in real life.

He was distant from his parents. They had no idea what he did with his friends and why when he rarely came to dinner he looked so depressed.

Today the sound of TOME filled his room, but he lied in his bed, not wanting to log on. Stephanie, aka Flamegirl, hadn't been on in weeks. All Michael wanted was to hangout with all of his friends. He needed time with them to take his mind off the Forbidden Power. Every time he would close his eyes all he saw was the virus.

"Michael!" He sighed as he got out of bed. He rubbed his eyes and headed down the stairs to see his mother and a girl he had never met bring food into the house. He froze and so did she as they noticed each other. He had never seen anyone like her; a girl with badly cut blond hair, black eye makeup that made her bright green eyes more noticeable, she wore a black TOME shirt that came with the game back in the first couple months of sales, gray jeans to match, and a pair of orange converses with fade red writing on the sides. He had never seen a girl like that, "Michael this is Stephanie," She shyly waved at him, "She'll be staying with us for a while and she'll be going to school with you," Michael sighed.

"I'll start putting the food away," He responded. His mother frowned and nodded before going to get more. He glanced at Stephanie as she took out her phone and started to message someone. Michael wondered what her username was. He turned and stepped back in surprise. He hadn't noticed her helping. She looked at him with a confused expression.

"Sorry," She responded. Before Michael could get any words out, his mother closed the door and rolled Stephanie's bag in.

"Stephanie, I'll show you to your room," She nodded, smiled at Michael, and then left with his mother. He sighed.

* * *

 He didn't understand.

"Sir Alpha, are you alright?" Michael didn't know how to respond to Colin's question.

"I'm fine Nye," He responded, "Has anyone heard from Flamey?"

"Lady Whyti said that something about Lady Flamegirl moving from Californialand," Michael frowned.

"Why didn't she tell us?" He questioned, a little hurt.

"Maybe she didn't want to worry anyone," Nate spoke.

"Right," Michael muttered.

"Why don't we do something to take your mind off of her?" Chris suggested, "There are always chumps to beat!"

"Michael!" In game his character frowned.

"I've got to go guys," He said, "Mom needs me,"

"Alright," Nate responded.

"Good bye sir Alpha!" Colin responded.

"See ya I guess," Chris said. Michael nodded.

"Later," He logged off and turned off his computer. Michael headed downstairs to where Stephanie was washing dishes.

"We're about To go get Stephanie's uniform," His mother told him, "And you've got to go with us,"

* * *

 He watched her stare out the window, her music distracting her from everything around her. He turned to his mother.

"Why is she here?" His mother frowned at his question.

"Stephanie's family is going through economic problems," Michael sighed. He looked at his mother.

"So why did she have to stay with us?" Michael questioned, "Doesn't she have any family to stay with?" His mother shook her head.

"They wouldn't take her," She responded, "All of her relatives have things going on as well," He glanced at her. She looked a little sad and Michael couldn't look at her anymore, "Oh we're here," Michael looked out the window. Paris Prep School loomed in front of them. Stephanie seemed amazed. Michael was use to the huge school. The three got out of the car and headed inside. Michael's mother smiled at Stephanie who had taken her headphones out, "Welcome to Paris Prep,"

"Wow," Stephanie responded as they turned the corner. Michael shrugged as they finally reached the office. One single lady sat in the office going through paperwork.

"Hello Miss Hank," Michael's mother spoke with a fake smiles on her face, "We're here to pick up Stephanie's uniforms," The woman didn't look happy to see them, like always.

"I'll take her. Take a seat," Stephanie looked worried, but left with the secretary after Michael's mother gave her a nod. Michael and his mother took a seat. He placed his headphones in and pressed the play button.

"Michael," He opened his eyes and rubbed them. His mother smiled at him, "It's time to go home. You can rest there," He was surprised he had actually fell asleep waiting for Stephanie to finish receiving her things for school. Michael had not seen the Forbidden Power this time. He followed the two females back to the car. It was late. Soon enough they arrived back home where Michael headed straight up to his room and surprisingly feel asleep.

* * *

"Steph!" He ran his hands through his hair as he checked the time. It was midnight, four hours after they had arrived home. The nightmare still haunted him; Flamegirl had been hurt by the virus. It was Michael's worse nightmare. A knock sounded at his door. He nervously thought about pretending to be asleep. He wasn't sure he wanted the person who was at the door to come in and see him in this state.

"Michael?" His eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected Stephanie. He didn't even know her at all and he had been cold to her since she had arrived early that morning, "I'm here if you need me," He listened to her walk off. He wasn't sure if he would sleep again. Michael knew he needed to see Flamey again. He couldn't get rid of his nightmare without her.

* * *

Flamegirl sighed as she walked back to her room. Maybe she was wrong.

Stephanie wasn't sure what to think about the plain looking boy she now lived with. She had only met one other Michael before and that was Alpha. He didn't seem to be anything like Alpha. But he had yelled her name in his sleep. Maybe she was wrong. Stephanie lied back down and took out her phone. She hadn't messaged anyone but Whitney since arriving in Paris. Her guy friends were probably mad at her. She wouldn't blame them. She decided to not message Whitney. She was probably sleeping anyways. Stephanie sighed and closed her eyes. She wasn't sure if she missed home yet. She would find out in the morning.

* * *

Michael was already awake by the time she woke. She had changed and got ready before heading downstairs, embarrassed by how she normally look me she woke up. Since getting a haircut from the game sitting in embarrassed about how she looked. There is a reason she really didn't bother with what she wore. A bagel sat in the spot at the table, waiting for her as if someone knew she actually ate bagels. Michael refuse to look at her, most likely embarrassed from what had happened the night before. She knows she had been faking his sleep; She had done it several times before. Stephanie flattened her skirt, annoyed by the design of it. Her last high school hadn't had a uniform. This was new to her.

"Michael," His mother called, "You know you don't have much time left," He nodded. After finishing his breakfast Michael headed back up the stairs to change into his uniform. Stephanie kind of wondered what he looked like in it. She shook her head, as she tried to get the image out of her head. Soon enough, Michael was ready and they were heading back to Paris Prep. Stephanie was nervous about her first Monday at a new school.

"You'll be fine," She was surprised that Michael would comfort her, especially since she was sure he didn't even like her. Stephanie slightly smiled at the boy in the front seat.   
"Thank you," He nodded.

"No problem," He responded as he looked away. Stephanie sighed and looked out the window. She couldn't wait to go back home; She just didn't know she could survive that long.

* * *

Michael didn't know why he was comforting Stephanie. He didn't even think that he liked Stephanie at all. She was very strange to him, but very familiar as well. He couldn't think of where he might've known her from. Maybe they had visited her back where she came from; Wherever the heck that was. Michael was a little bit curious about the girl who was now living with them. Where was she from? Why was she actually here? He wasn't sure his mom had told him the real story. He felt like there was something missing in what he was told. He was smart enough not to ask Stephanie why she was there. He knew that was stepping over the line. He watched her out of the window, using her reflection. She looked lost in thought, maybe even a bit confused. All he really knew at the moment was that his mom had basically taken in the girl who had no one else to go to. Michael looked away, his mind racing. He wasn't sure how a girl like Stephanie would survive in a school like his. He guessed he would find out a couple minutes.

* * *

School had always been rough for Stephanie. She had to deal with Neo one year, friendship drama the next, and now she was halfway across the United States. After leaving Michael, she wandered around for a while before someone stopped her.

"You seem to be new here," Like Michael this female wore two pins on her shirt, showing she had been going to this school for two years. Stephanie didn't know what to think about her. The girl held her hand out, "I'm Alexey," Stephanie shook her hand.

"Stephanie," She introduced. Alexey linked arms with Stephanie.

"Well Stephanie," She smiled, "I'll help you around,"

* * *

 Stephanie soon found herself wishing Michael had stuck around. She felt awkward sitting with Alexey and her friends; it made her think about what Michael did for lunch everyday. As she continued listening to her current lunch buddies she spotted the familiar boy. He had his head down and several other students were laughing at him. Stephanie wouldn't stand for it. Alexey noticed her watching him.

"That's Michael," Stephanie didn't tell her she knew that, "He's an antisocial gaming nerd," She seemed a little sad, "No one really bothers with him, except to mess with him," Stephanie didn't stay around to hear anything else. Before Alexey could stop her, the new girl had gotten up and walked over there. Ignoring the weird stares she got, she smiled at Michael.

"Hey," She said. The surprised expression on his face disappeared quickly.

"Why are you talking to me?" He had stopped walking to ask her that question. She stopped next to him and spoke as loudly as she could.

"I want to be friends with you," She smiled, "There's no other reason,"


End file.
